Axial-impact type hand tool



May 29, 1962 K. KENWORTHY ET AL 3,036,432

AXIAL-IMPACT TYPE HAND TOOL Filed Sept. 2. 1960 INVENTORS Kenneth Kenworthy y Bowden B. Kenworthy United States Patent Calif.

Filed Sept. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 53,709 2 Claims. 01. 81-5235) This invention relates to a new and improved slip tool of the type wherein -a weighted rod is slipped through a tube carrying a tool or a nail on one end for the purpose of driving the nail or performing a hammering, chiseling, punching, chipping, drilling or driving operation.

The present invention is particularly useful in locations where the space is limited. Thus in accordance with the present invention nails may be driven where there is insuflicient room to swing a conventional hammer or where the headroom is so cramped that the physical effort required to swing the hammer is inconvenient.

A feature and advantage of the present invention is the provision of means to retain a nail on the end of the tube so that the driving operation may be commenced without it being necessary for the workman to hold the nail in place. Thus the present invention has particular advantage in driving nails in posit-ions under houses or other locations where space is extremely limited and joists, braces, piping and the like impede the workman. In accordance with this invention the nail may be installed on the end of the tube and the tube raised into place without the necessity of the workmans hand being raised to the point where the nail is to be driven.

A still further feature of the invention is the fact that various detachable heads may be installed on the end of the tube and held in place by the same means which holds the nail in position. The various heads may be shaped to perform operations such as hammering, chiseling, punching, chipping and drilling. Thus the tool is adapted for various difierent operations and may be readily converted from one to the other quickly and without requiring screwing or twisting operations which are difiicult in cramped quarters.

The operations such as those mentioned in the preceding paragraph are performed in accordance with the present invention by the same manual operations as heretofore mentioned and likewise are readily performed in close quarters.

Other objects of the present invention will become ap parent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views,

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the tool partly broken away in section and showing the handle in partially retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the handle driven inwardly.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the means of attachment of a hammer head to the end of the tube.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views showing other attachments for the end of the tube, namely a small chisel, a larger chisel and a punching tool, respectively.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a pair of interfitting and relatively slidable elements, namely a tube .11 and a rod 12. Rod 12 is preferably formed with a heavy or weighted handle 13 at one end which may be gripped by the user and by its mass increase the impact of the hammering movement.

The tube 11 is formed with an aperture 16 adjacent ice its outer end into which fits the detent portion 17 of a spring 18 secured to the outside of the tube '11. As shown in the accompanying drawings, spring 18 is secured by means of brazing, soldering or the like but it will be understood that various fastening means may be substituted or that the spring may be wound in a helical coil around the outside of the tube to hold it in place.

As shown particularly in FIG. 1, a nail 21 having a head 22 fits inside the hollow tube 11 and the detent 17 prevents the head from sliding out of the tool. In use, the workman places the nail in the position shown in FIG. 1 and lifts the tube 11 in such positionthat thepoint of the nail is in the desired location where it is to be driven. The handle 13 is retracted and then pushed forcibly forward, the inner end 23 of rod 12 striking the head 22 and driving the nail outwardly. The force of spring 18 is such that it easily moves out of position to permit the driving of the nail and sliding movement of the rod '12. Repeated strokes of the rod 12 may be required to drive the nail completely, but such strokes are of limited length and readily performed in cramped quarters. It will be noted that in positioning the nail the hand of the workman does not have to be in proximity to the point at which the nail is driven.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 3 a hammer head 26 is provided. Head 26 has a sleeve 27' which slips over the outside of the outer end of tube 11. A hole 28 is formed in sleeve 27. Detent 17 of spring 18 fits through hole 28 and hole 16 which registers therewith and thus holds head 26 on the end of tube 11. The head 26 has a hammer portion 29 similar to the corresponding portion of a hammer. Thus in use the head 26 is attached to tube 11 as shown in FIG. 3 and the handle 13 pumped up and down, each stroke of the rod 12 contacting the inside of head 26 and performing the hammering operation.

In FIG. 4 a head 26a similar in certain respects to head 26 is provided. The outer end is formed with a chisel blade 31a in place of the hammer head 26. Parts corresponding to those of the form of invention shown in FIG. 3 have corresponding reference numerals followed by the subscript a.

Similarly in FIG. 5 a broad chisel blade 32b is provided on the end of head 26b. Parts corresponding to those of FIG. 3 are followed by the subscript b. In FIG. 6 a punch 33c is formed at the end of head 26c and corresponding parts are likewise given similar ref- :erence numerals followed by the subscript c. The various tools shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 may be used to perform various chiseling or chipping or drilling operations and the form shown in FIG. 6 may perform a punching operation.

In any event, the proper tool is attached to the end of the tube by sliding it on the end of the tube and fitting the detent 17 of spring 18 into the registering slots 28 and 16 thereby holding the head in place on the end of the tube 11-. The rod 12 is then slid up and down inside the tube to provide the necessary driving action.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool comprising a tube formed with an aperture adjacent one end, resilient detent means carried on the outside of said tube and projecting through said aperture and into the interior of said tube, a rod slidable inside said tube and of a length greater than said tube, a heavy handle on the end of said rod opposite said aperture, and a head for said tube, said head having a sleeve slipped over an end of said tube and formed with a second aperture to receive said detent means to hold said head on said tube.

2. A tool comprising a tube formed with an aperture in its wall spaced upward from one end, a spring fixed to the outside of said tube adjacent said aperture and having an inwardly bent portion normally extending through said aperture and partially blocking off the interior of said tube to retain a nail head inside said tube against normal forcestending to discharge said nail head, an elongated Weighted rod slidable inside said tube arranged upon its inward movement to displace said inwardly bent portion of said spring and drive said nail outwardly, said rod formed with a heavy handle on its outer end, and a head formed with a sleeve fitting over the end of said tube and provided with a second aperture registering with said first-mentioned aperture and receiving said bent portion of said spring, said spring and said second aperture cooperating to hold said head on said tube.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Miller Feb. 26, Williams June 19, Anderson Dec. 30, Ayotte Dec. 6, Green July 17, Pfafif June 24, McGonagill Sept. 15, Kopf et a1. Feb. 23,

FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Jan. 24, 

